Students did a self-reflection of their Rube Goldberg Machine today (below)

Self Reflection of my Project1. How did you come up with the idea for your project?2. What do you see as the strengths of your device?3. What was particularly important to you while you were completing your device?4. What things did you struggle with while your were completing your project?5. What was the most important thing you learned from completing this project?6. What was the best thing that happened while you were working on this project?7. What were some reactions your received from those who saw your project?8. What advice would you give to someone just beginning this project?9. What would your do differently, knowing what you now know about the project?10. If you were given two weeks to improve on your project, what modifications orextensions would you make?

For a fun assessment, students are listing all the simple machines they can find in the Holiday movie, Home Alone.

In class we've been learning about force and motion. Last week, students were introduced to Rube Goldberg machines(RGMs). RGMs use force, motion, and momentum to operate. Students were placed in groups and given the assignment to begin designing their own RGM. We will complete the RGM lab today and tomorrow. To finish out the week, we will be looking at our machines and discussing the energy transformations there in.

More examples of RGM

Describe some compound machines they use around the house. Pick out which simple machines are used in each compound machine.

How would life be different if we didn’t have any machines?

Who was Rube Goldberg ?

Who remembers what he was trying to do with his illustrations? (Poke fun about the complicated inventions that were introduced at the turn of the Century - he designed complicated procedures for accomplishing simple tasks)

In the early 1940’s, a Patent Office official declared that the United States Patent office should be closed because everything useful had now been invented. What do you think of that statement?

Today in class we talked about the compound machines category of Rube Goldberg Machines. You may have seen these in a MythBusters spin-off show called "Unchained Reaction" or remember playing the game "Mouse Trap." These machines take imagination, planning and precision to create and complete successfully. We looked at several examples (below) and talked about the planning process. Students we randomly assigned to groups and tomorrow they will plan and practice their machines.

QUIZ:Part I: Name as many simple machine TYPES as you can remember from yesterday.Part II: Draw a simple picture rendition ofas many simple machine TYPES as you can remember from yesterday.Part III: Identify 3 common objects that are examples of simple machines and label them correctly.BONUS: Define "Compound Machine" using what you know about "Simple Machines"BONUS II: What parts of your body act like simple and compound machines when you eat lunch?

Today we expanded our knowledge of simple machines and began looking at compound machines. At the end of class students watched a short DiscoveryEducation video which covered many topics involved in machines: